Monday, February 21, 2005
interview with a paratrooper
dumbass: what part of the world are you in?
SSG Chris Paul: North Carolina, Fort Bragg SSG Chris Paul: I am heading to Monterey for 2 years next month
dumbass: california?
SSG Chris Paul: yep
dumbass: so youre a marine?
SSG Chris Paul: no, army paratrooper
dumbass: i wouldnt think that my blog would be attractive to an army paratrooper
SSG Chris Paul: Well, I like to see things from different views
dumbass: good man
SSG Chris Paul: keeps me grounded
dumbass: nice dumbass: so you were in iraq?
SSG Chris Paul: yeah, I went twice
dumbass: how old are you?
SSG Chris Paul: 25
dumbass: both times during this war?
SSG Chris Paul: yes, the first time in the invasion and then again three months after I got back
dumbass: did you paratroop in, or ride from kuwait?
SSG Chris Paul: no airborne operations, I airlanded on a c-130
dumbass: dude, i blog to meet chicks dumbass: i have no idea what a c-130 is dumbass: air craft carrier?
SSG Chris Paul: air craft SSG Chris Paul: the second time I conyed in
dumbass: and you stayed on the ship?
SSG Chris Paul: kind of old and very cramped SSG Chris Paul: oh, we landed on an Iraqi airfield and took it over SSG Chris Paul: then we convoyed to other locations
dumbass: did you see F-9/11?
SSG Chris Paul: no, I'm not sure if I want to SSG Chris Paul: was it good? SSG Chris Paul: one of the guys in my unit who lost his leg is on there
dumbass: i liked it dumbass: in one scene they showed soldiers going door to door in the middle of the night looking for bad guys dumbass: did you ever have to do that sort of thing?
SSG Chris Paul: sure did
dumbass: crying babies and wives and scared kids screaming at you?
SSG Chris Paul: and also ran a check point SSG Chris Paul: I dont remember any kids really SSG Chris Paul: but I remeber every one being mad at us
dumbass: when you went there did you believe that youd be treated as a liberator? dumbass: with flowers and candies being thrown at you?
SSG Chris Paul: I was unsure, because I knew their goverment told them some bad things SSG Chris Paul: but they treated us well SSG Chris Paul: it was crazy because they went on with their live like we were not there SSG Chris Paul: they kept working in the fields doing what they needed to survive
dumbass: what was the gnarliest town you found yourself in?
SSG Chris Paul: Awsamawa, I think I misspelled it SSG Chris Paul: we were just outside of it, and it was filthy
dumbass: were people shooting at you there?
SSG Chris Paul: yeah, I remember they had a smoke stack to some factory there. And there was a sniper in it. We could not get a shot on him, so they sent a mortor round and blew the whole stack up. SSG Chris Paul: Plus there were rockets and artillery coming at us
dumbass: are these people all iraqi's shooting at you?
SSG Chris Paul: yeah, the first time SSG Chris Paul: the second time I went I think some were insurgents from syria
dumbass: was it freezing cold in the desert?
SSG Chris Paul: yes SSG Chris Paul: the second time it rained the entire month of november and was freezing
dumbass: i heard about huge spiders - did you see any of those
SSG Chris Paul: yeah, they call them camel spiders, and the damn things jump
dumbass: yes those! dumbass: were they the worst part of the desert - other than the violence
SSG Chris Paul: I was more afraid of the scorpions and snakes
dumbass: were there a lot of those?
SSG Chris Paul: I only saw a few snakes but there was a shit load of scorpions
dumbass: so you would sleep in a little tent in the desert dumbass: inthe cold dumbass: would the scorpions get in your tent?
SSG Chris Paul: the first time, we had no tents and just slept on the ground
dumbass: get out
SSG Chris Paul: the second time we took over a compound and had a building, but no doors SSG Chris Paul: so they got in there
dumbass: why no tents? dumbass: even boy scouts have tents
SSG Chris Paul: during the invasion we thought we were going to jump in and had no space to carry all that SSG Chris Paul: yeah, it sucked SSG Chris Paul: we had to ration water to a bottle and a half a day SSG Chris Paul: about 1.5 liters
dumbass: insane!
SSG Chris Paul: so no bathing SSG Chris Paul: and taking a dump in the middle of the desert not fun
dumbass: how come?
SSG Chris Paul: trying to keep an eye for the enemy SSG Chris Paul: and sand blows in to your crack SSG Chris Paul: not to mention toilet paper is rare
dumbass: so should we even be there if we cant properly take care of our people?
SSG Chris Paul: well, now its better. we just had to establish the supply system SSG Chris Paul: and paratroopers are expected to rough it
dumbass: how do most of the troops feel about this war at this stage?
SSG Chris Paul: I am not really sure. I think our job there is almost done SSG Chris Paul: and I think we are doing good
dumbass: so when people are sleeping in the cold dumbass: they dont say "fuck this fucking war"
SSG Chris Paul: not really, I think we said fuck saddam
dumbass: why him?
SSG Chris Paul: because he was a tyrant, and he was the cause SSG Chris Paul: in my opinion
dumbass: but he wasnt shooting at you dumbass: and hes not shooting at the people today dumbass: the insurgents etc are shooting
SSG Chris Paul: you're right, but he made his country a hell hole, which led to this SSG Chris Paul: while I was there i got to hear stories firsthand from the people he hurt SSG Chris Paul: and I saw some videos SSG Chris Paul: really bad stuff
dumbass: didnt the US and rumsfield and reagan sell him chemicals and help him become the tyrant that he is though?
SSG Chris Paul: yes SSG Chris Paul: but I don't think they knew how evil he was
dumbass: do you think we didnt know how evil he was during desert storm?
SSG Chris Paul: I think we knew. In my opinion I think we should have stopped him then, I think we failed the people of Iraq then. SSG Chris Paul: Again that is my personal opinoin
dumbass: of course dumbass: and i respect your opinion
SSG Chris Paul: thank you
dumbass: do your fellow paratroopers talk about this stuff much? history, etc?
SSG Chris Paul: not so much
dumbass: what do they talk about?
SSG Chris Paul: we talk about stuff we experianced there. SSG Chris Paul: or do you mean on a daily basis at work
dumbass: either
SSG Chris Paul: at work the same thing every one talks about, last nights game, the news, how our weekend was and some of the funny stuff we did
dumbass: whats the main job of a paratrooper?
SSG Chris Paul: well, we jump in to a hostile airfield and take it over so our air craft can land, and get the rest of the troops there. SSG Chris Paul: Airfield Seizure SSG Chris Paul: i think thats how its spelled SSG Chris Paul: my grammar sux
dumbass: was there difficulty securing the airfields that you took over?
SSG Chris Paul: there, no SSG Chris Paul: but thats because the main forces surrendered so quickly SSG Chris Paul: but agaist an enemy that will fight, it is a diffucult task SSG Chris Paul: have only what you jump in with SSG Chris Paul: not to mention you land scattered from other people in your unit
dumbass: so once you had secured the airfields, what did the paratroopers have to do next?
SSG Chris Paul: pull security, and then move to the next objective. Usaully another town SSG Chris Paul: then we bcame like the other troops, just a lot tougher and more deadly. SSG Chris Paul: haha. no really
dumbass: like walking in lines to the next town dumbass: ducking in the ditches dumbass: all clear, walking in lines again?
SSG Chris Paul: no we had vehicles, that came after the aifield was secure SSG Chris Paul: so we rode
dumbass: there have been reports that the military has to go through old dumps looking for scrap metal for their vehicles dumbass: to nail onto the sides dumbass: did you see anythign like that?
SSG Chris Paul: yeah, the military has a shortage of amored HMMWVs so we would get steel and weld it the sides and make doors out of it
dumbass: doesnt that seem odd for the biggest richest most powerful army of all time?
SSG Chris Paul: your right it does, but we didn't really expect them to set explosives on the road every 200 yards. But it makes us resourceful and keeps us on our toes
dumbass: But doesnt it make it look like we're not as strong as we want to be perceived as being? dumbass: not our troops, but our equipment
SSG Chris Paul: yes, so we had a little trick SSG Chris Paul: the Iraqis thought all the tan colored vehicles had armor and they would not waste their ammo on them SSG Chris Paul: so we started covering the other vehicles in mud SSG Chris Paul: when it dried it looked like tan paint
dumbass: ahahah NICE
SSG Chris Paul: and they would not fire on them
dumbass: classic dumbass: any hot chicks over there?
SSG Chris Paul: Iraqis?
dumbass: any chicks
SSG Chris Paul: We saw some reporters that were hot, or it may have been the fact we didn't see women often SSG Chris Paul: There was 2 Iraqi girls who looked nice, they would do laundry on one of the forward operating bases SSG Chris Paul: Then again they may ahve looked nice because we were desperate
dumbass: one of the vice presidents of cnn resigned recently because he said that there were orders to our military to target journalists dumbass: is that conceivable? dumbass: would a soldier target a US journalist because he was ordered to?
SSG Chris Paul: not a chance SSG Chris Paul: we have rules of engagement we must follow SSG Chris Paul: and no soldier is allowed to follow an unlawful or immoral order
dumbass: nice dumbass: so those dudes in the iraqi prison were totally wrong to humilate those prisoners?
SSG Chris Paul: completely wrong
dumbass: im glad to hear it dumbass: well thank you so much for being so honest with me
SSG Chris Paul: no problem SSG Chris Paul: thanks for listening
dumbass: i know very little about your world so i appreciate you being polite to my ignorance
SSG Chris Paul: I don't know much either
dumbass: about the military?
SSG Chris Paul: Well I know a lot about the military SSG Chris Paul: but every thing, I only have a high school education and thats from Georgia SSG Chris Paul: Hey I got a picture of my squad on my site if you want to see them
dumbass: this one?
SSG Chris Paul: thats it SSG Chris Paul: I am bamf6
dumbass: where is that picture taken?
SSG Chris Paul: at one of check points near fallujah SSG Chris Paul: in the military 6 refers to the leader of the element
dumbass: leader huh? nice work
SSG Chris Paul: thanks
dumbass: where are my african american brothers?
SSG Chris Paul: yeah I was a squad leader SSG Chris Paul: My whole platoon only had one, and he was whiter than most white dudes SSG Chris Paul: but I am half black SSG Chris Paul: from the waist down SSG Chris Paul: haha
dumbass: and youre chris right?
SSG Chris Paul: thats me
dumbass: whats your title?
SSG Chris Paul: Staff Sergeant SSG Chris Paul: E-6
dumbass: well again this has been an honor for me to talk to you
SSG Chris Paul: no problem man
dumbass: please know that any time i talk about how i feel about this war it has nothing to do with the brave men like you who do the hard part dumbass: if anything i want to keep good people like you out of situations where i dont think we should be
SSG Chris Paul: I understand, I know people don't have to be pro-war to be pro-soldier SSG Chris Paul: thanks for wanting us safe
dumbass: totally dumbass: of course! dumbass: ok well i will put some of this chat on my blog tomorrow dumbass: is that cool?
SSG Chris Paul: and I feel honored to chat with the Tony Pierce
dumbass: ahahaha
SSG Chris Paul: oh yeah, just don't edit it and make me look disloyal to my country SSG Chris Paul: they will have my ass
dumbass: thats not my style
SSG Chris Paul: I was just joking
dumbass: i want you to want to chat with me in the future dumbass: i wouldnt burn any bridges dumbass: so for the thing dumbass: i talked to staff sgt chris of....? dumbass: what the full title and troop and all that?
SSG Chris Paul: actually its SSG Chris Paul of the 82nd Airborne Division
dumbass: perfect dumbass: thanks so much Chris dumbass: have a great night!
SSG Chris Paul: no prob SSG Chris Paul: you to
chris paul + fil + seven nation army by the flaming lips + sheepshirts
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